Yoga practices
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Yoga offers many practices which individually and
collectively activate relaxation and which may help to restore the
physical body by providing more healthful and productive responses to
stress. The effects of yoga-as stress management which have been
documented including parasympathetic nervous system activation which
lowers the heart rate and the blood pressure thereby reducing the
body's demand (need) for oxygen. Other effects of yoga practices
which have been documented include improving digestion, elimination
and immune function, increasing the vital lung capacity and tidal
volume; and reducing anxiety and depression.
Yoga practices include body postures and movements
(stretching), breathing practices, imagery, meditation, and
progressive relaxation techniques. Each practice has specific
purposes and all combine to help develop a focused awareness of what
is happening to the practitioner physically, mentally, emotionally
and energetically. Developing an awareness of bodily sensations and
feelings, emotional states of being, and mental attitudes and beliefs
is the first step to reducing stress and using yoga therapeutically
in healing. First we tune into the onset of stressful stimuli and
then we are able to initiate practices to prevent or counteract the
physiological responses that typically follow. By regular yoga
practice, awareness develops and we can extend more and more control
over what happens to us physiologically and psychologically.
Previously automatic reactions get nipped in the bud before becoming
full-blown stress responses. In the face of challenges and threats,
we can remain calm and centered, and experience balance and poise.
What is Stress?
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The body is a self-regulating system. There are threats
to the body's equilibrium as its environment changes and as the
organism grows. These threats can be responded to adaptively, by
appropriate action, or destructively, by inappropriate action. The
key to self-renewal lies in the level of awareness of threats, and
the strategies available for dealing with them. Yoga is a highly
effective strategy for stress management.
Stress is often defined as the response of the human
organism to any change or demand, be it internal or external, the
stress response automatically initiates. Whether the demand is
positive or negative (i.e. whether someone gets married and gets a
promotion, or someone gets divorced or fired from a job, it's the
same physiological response). The stress response is coordinated in
the body by the autonomic (or automatic) nervous system. The
sympathetic nervous system controls the stress response and the
parasympathetic nervous system controls the opposite or, the
relaxation response. The endocrine system also releases hormones in
response to stressors.
Under stress, the sympathetic nervous system sends
messages to muscles, organs and glands which help the body, react.
Powerful chemicals (like adrenaline), neurotransmitters, and hormones
(like cortisone and aldosterone) are released which have multiple
effects on the body. They cause increases in heart rate, in blood
pressure, in stomach acid production, in muscle tension, in the
circulating levels of blood sugar and cholesterol, and in blood
thickness as well as producing abnormalities in immune function.
For the short term, these effects are adaptive and help a
person prepare for responding to the stressor. However, these
physical reactions can lead to illness. Health professional s state
that 80% of all illnesses may be stress related. Stress-related
illnesses can include heart disease, insomnia, sexual dysfunction,
hyperactivity, ulcers, chronic headaches, backaches and high blood
pressure. Aside from the physical effects, common psychological and
mental reactions to stress exist, anxiety, depression, anger,
hostility and irritability, and decreased ability to concentrate, to
remember and to retain information.
In addition, stress often leads to coping behaviors that
then increase stress. Under stress, we may end up caught in a vicious
cycle: we may find ourselves both inactive and overworked- we may
overeat and/or fail to provide ourselves with adequate nutrition; we
may feel isolated, sleep deprived and exhausted; we may become
dependent or even addicted to substances such as drugs, alcohol,
cigarettes and caffeine.
Basic Guidelines for
Using Yoga as Stress Management
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Do yoga practices on an empty stomach, preferably in the
early morning, and again at night prior to sleep. Let a routine
develop. Habits can be good or bad. By choosing a regular time and
place to do your practice,you will be creating a habit that you will
look forward to and do routinely., Create a quiet, comfortable,
well-ventilated place for your practice. This may include asking for
cooperation from others to ensure that you will not be disturbed.
Sometimes it takes a while to become comfortable with the
attitude of passive attention. Do not push yourself or try too
hard. Be gentle and persistent in your efforts. Passive attention is
often described as paying attention to the process, rather than the
goal. Do not think about getting relaxed, which is your goal.
Instead, pay attention to whatever sensation you are having at
present in the moment, which is your process. If you experience
discomfort, tension or anxiety during your yoga practice be gentle
and attentive and discontinue the practice if the discomfort
persists. Sometimes in relaxing we become aware of sensations that
have been previously ignored, or thoughts and feelings arise into
consciousness that have been previously repressed. Consult with your
instructor on how to proceed whenever you experience distress.
Remember that yoga is not exercise. Never push or force
yourself. Stay in your comfort zone and take it easy. Many people
beginning to practice yoga as stress management may feel unsure if
they are doing it right. Trust yourself and trust the process and let
it develop. Keep your focus on what is happening in each moment.
There is no magic here. We are learning how to relax and we are
training the body to enter a deep, regenerative state. It takes time.
Be patient.
Copyright © 2000 Jnani Chapman, RN
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